T.J. Oshie's shootout performance for Team USA against Russia in the 2014 Winter Olympics on Saturday highlighted a skills competition difference between North American and international hockey regulations.

Oshie took advantage of an international shootout rule that allows the same shooter to keep taking attempts if the tie-breaker is knotted after three skaters from each side get a chance.

Overall, Oshie converted on four of six attempts to give the United States the decision. The Crunch was in Norfolk for a game that night, and many of the players watched the action together.

"I don't think many people could fathom what that felt like for him,'' said Syracuse forward Evan Rankin.

"The pressure has to be huge,'' said Crunch forward Brett Connolly. "For him to switch it up and score with four different moves, it's very impressive.''

In the AHL, however, the rules mandate that such glory be spread around.

AHL shootouts are best-of-five rounds affairs to start. If the score is tied after five rounds, shootouts move to sudden death. But instead of repeating skaters, coaches must start rotating through all their other shooters.

"You can have an argument for both. I like the format in North America, where you pick five guys and it's your best five shooters,'' Connolly said.

Crunch coach Rob Zettler said he likes the Olympic model better.

"I'm actually OK with picking your best, and then it's best on best,'' he said. "I kind of like it. The whole shootout thing is not about team anyway. It's about individual skills.''

Rankin also likes the international format.

"I think it's more exciting to see these guys come up with something. They have a lot of tricks up their sleeves,'' he said.

That makes Oshie's dramatics even more impressive.

Like all teams, the Crunch practices shootouts as part of its regular routine. Players can win or lose spots on Zettler's mental list of candidates based on drill results.

But even the best shootout artists might have one or two go-to moves with a game on the line. Players usually work to hone those instead of inventing new tricks that they'd actually use in a real shootout.

Connolly, who is 2-4 in shootout attempts this season, said he has perhaps three favorite moves he'd trust under pressure.

"You obviously have a go-to move that works more times than another move,'' he said.

Rankin, who is 2-for-3 in shootouts this season, pointed out that similar types of moves can be freshened up with a head fake here or a feint there.

"There's different ways of approaching the goalie to get different spots to open up,'' he said. "The trick is to almost ignore the pressure. It's ignoring the pressure and turning it into opportunities. You have to be confident.''